The research on motivation tells us that we work best when our goals feel challenging yet achievable. If our objectives far outstrip our capabilities, we become anxious. On the flip side, if our goals are not challenging enough, we become apathetic.
It's the work of leaders to help manage the flow of assignments so that employees stay in the sweet spot. But many employees shy away from conversations about capacity with their boss for fear of coming across as weak or uncommitted.
Team culture heavily influences this dynamic. Organizations that overemphasize heroic efforts generate workplace martyrs—those who make it a habit to put their organization's needs ahead of their own. And while these heroic efforts lead to short-term gains in productivity for the organization and praise and recognition for the employee, it results in burnout and employee retention challenges in the long run.
It's easy to fall into the trap of saying yes, only to feel resentful about it later. Before you sacrifice yourself for the next request, consider these options for responding:
I wish I could, but I can't because… (And then remind your leader of your other equally or more important priorities.)
Yes, I could if... (And then specify what additional support or resources you'd need to handle the new work effectively.)
Yes, I could if you could assign someone else to partner with me to share the work.
Yes, I could if I could start next week instead of this week.
Yes, I could if I could postpone this other project that now seems less urgent.
Yes, I could if I could plan to use my vacation time next month to recover.
"Yes, I could if" is magical because it creates a dialogue between you and your leader about what it would truly take to do the work justice given your constraints. And it centers the conversation on your common goal: doing quality work.
With so many employees resigning right now, leaders need to be protective of the capacity of those that remain. Tune into my next MindFrame Minute, in which I'll share tips on how middle managers can create a team culture that protects their employee's capacity to do their best work.
MindFrame, LLC delivers leadership and professional coaching, team facilitation, and keynote presentations to help you create change for good.
Custom services can be conducted at your organization or virtually.
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